


A Springtime Betrothal

by tehfanglyfish



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Accidental Relationship, Canon Era, Deviates From Canon, Don't Force People Into Arranged Marriages, First Kiss, It May Lead To Unintended Results, Love Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-28
Updated: 2019-12-28
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:15:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21997360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tehfanglyfish/pseuds/tehfanglyfish
Summary: It’s a beautiful spring day – the perfect setting for young royals to enter into a betrothal. Too bad Princess Elena is convinced that Arthur is a would-be assassin, out to kill her with a poisoned kiss. To prove that there is no danger, Arthur has no choice but to kiss Merlin, leading to several unexpected, though not unwelcome, developments.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 68
Kudos: 568
Collections: The Merlin/Arthur Kiss Fest 2019





	A Springtime Betrothal

**Author's Note:**

> I missed this fest the last time it came around, so I'm super excited to have another chance to participate. Thank you, mods, for hosting it again.
> 
> ___________________________________  
> Though it's been said many times, many ways, I do not own this characters and am not profiting in anyway from this fic.

“I barely know him! If you think I’m going to kiss him…”

Elena’s outburst began as soon as Prince Arthur finished reciting his betrothal pledge.

“We’ve talked about this, Elena. A kiss is required to seal the engagement. Otherwise, it won’t be legally binding.”

“But Father, it could be dangerous.”

“It’s only a kiss.”

“Maybe he has bad breath. Or bites. I could lose half my face.”

“Elena!”

Lord Godwyn looked as though he’d rather be anywhere other than the middle of Camelot’s great hall, trying to coax his daughter into kissing King Uther’s son. They had come so close to finalizing this permanent alliance between their realms – to have it all fall apart at the end was the last thing he needed.

The entire process of the betrothal had been difficult from the beginning.

Both Godwyn and Uther had wanted the engagement to be secured within a week of Godwyn’s arrival in Camelot. Princess Elena and Prince Arthur had resisted, dragging their heels on the matter for a fortnight until family pressure caused them to capitulate.

“Why is there such a rush?” Arthur had asked his father. “Maybe Elena and I could exchange letters over the next few months, get to know each other better. Then, if we get on, we could…”

“There’s no time for that,” Uther snapped back. “Godwyn already has offers from other princes, so you must act now. Anyway, a spring betrothal means a summer wedding. Just think Arthur, if we time it right, your first child could arrive in less than a year.”

If the king noticed that his son’s face had turned ashen or that he needed to take a seat, he didn’t acknowledge it.

“It’s what your mother would have wanted,” Uther continued, his voice softer. “I proposed to her in the spring.”

The mention of Ygraine was all it took to break Arthur’s resolve. He refused to listen to Merlin’s warning that Uther was simply engaging in manipulation tactics.

Maybe it was the informal horseraces, the bouquets of spring flowers Arthur offered (picked, of course, by Merlin), or similar pressure from Godwyn, but Elena soon assented to the enter the engagement as well.

It took two more days of negotiation to sort the official paperwork regarding dowries, titles, and the eventual merger of the two realms. All that remained to cement the betrothal was the completion of the ceremony and it was not going according to plan.

For starters, Elena had shown up late.

She overslept, then snuck out for a ride in the spring morning. Though the day was lovely, warm air full of the scent of fragrant wildflowers, the ground was still muddy from the last winter thaw.

Mud splatters warranted a quick bath and a change of clothes. The task proved more difficult than usual for the princess, as her nanny Grunhilda had disappeared without a trace.

And, though this was not common knowledge, Elena had also needed to be exorcised of the Sidhe host living inside of her.

Finally bathed, dressed, and free from magical possession, the princess arrived in the great hall to take part in the ceremony. She stood in silence as Arthur recited the words on the parchment supplied by Geoffrey of Monmouth, pledging his heart and his realm to the one who would be bound to him through a kiss.

It was when Geoffrey prompted the couple to finalize the engagement with said kiss that Elena’s panic got the better of her and, much to the horror of everyone assembled, she began hurling accusations against Prince Arthur.

“What if he has poison on his lips? This is probably an assassination attempt. I refuse to…”

“I beg your pardon.”

Though he never raised his voice, the coldness in Uther’s tone made it clear to the entire room that Elena had wandered into dangerous territory. She stopped babbling as she noticed the unforgiving glare being leveled at her by Camelot’s king.

“You were invited as a friend of Camelot to be welcomed into my family. For you to impinge on my son’s honor…”

“Father,” Arthur cut in, “it’s alright. I’m not offended. We’re both a little nervous today. I’m sure it’s simply a case of nerves, right Elena?”

“I… um… yes. Nerves.”

“Remember, sire,” Gaius added, “the princess lost her mother long ago. With Grunhilda missing, she had no one to confide in before such a momentous occasion.”

Uther paced for a moment.

“That sounds plausible,” he eventually conceded.

Arthur let out a breath he’d been holding.

“Perhaps the princess would feel more at ease if we showed her that there’s no danger. I could kiss…”

Arthur’s eyes scanned the room.

“Merlin!”

Uther let out an exasperated sigh.

“Very well. If that’s what it takes to get this business concluded, so be it.”

“My lord,” Geoffrey piped up, “I would strongly suggest that we find another way to reassure the princess. There are reasons why this is a bad idea. If you will allow me to explain…”

“I will not. This whole affair has dragged on long enough. Come up here, boy. We haven’t got all day.”

It took a shove from Gaius to get Merlin moving. Slowly, he walked toward Arthur, tripping over his own feet more than once. A final stumble caused Arthur to step forward to catch him.

They stood facing one another, eyes locked. Ever so slightly, Arthur crooked his head to the side. Merlin responded with the tiniest of nods.

Then, in full view of the assembled nobles and advisers, Arthur lifted a hand to cup Merlin’s cheek before touching his lips to his servant’s.

Those in attendance who had witnessed betrothal ceremonies in the past would remember short pecks shared between adult children of the nobility – kisses that lasted just long enough to legally seal the couple’s engagement, brief encounters that revealed unease stemming from arranged marriages.

Such actions didn’t deserve to be called kisses, not when compared to the one shared between Merlin and Arthur.

It began soft and chaste, a simple meeting of lips, gaze unbroken and mouths closed. Merlin slowly shut his eyes as he extended an arm around Arthur’s waist. Arthur moved closer, returning the embrace. As Merlin parted his lips, Arthur did the same, his trembling legs causing him to lean into the body pressed against his. Merlin didn’t seem to mind and instead did something with his tongue that earned a whimper of appreciation from the prince.

“He does bite,” Elena said with wonder as she watched Arthur take Merlin’s lower lip between his teeth.

The moan that Merlin let out in response caused quite a stir. Ladies of the court fanned themselves, battle-hardened knights blushed, and Gaius contemplated changing his name and running to a far-off village. One overlooking the ocean, he decided. Preferably in another kingdom.

Despite the gasps of shock from the crowd, the kiss continued.

It was only when Uther fainted, the sight of Arthur’s hand sliding along Merlin’s hip proving to be more than he could endure, that the pair broke apart.

Everyone moved aside to let Gaius through. Pulling his thoughts away from visions of sandy beaches, he tended to the king.

“Are you alright, sire? You took a bit of a tumble, but nothing appears injured,” Gaius said when Uther finally regained consciousness.

“Yes, yes. I’m fine, but we must hurry. Did you know my son is getting engaged today? I can’t be late to the ceremony.”

“Sire, you are at the ceremony,” Gaius said, his brow creasing with worry. “You passed out before it could be concluded.”

“Ah. About that,” Geoffrey said from behind Gaius. “It so happens that… um… things have been… concluded.”

“My son is betrothed?”

“Yes.” Geoffrey replied.

“Excellent,” Uther proclaimed from where he sat on the floor. “In that case, congratulations are in order. Elena, I will be proud to call you my daughter. Camelot will spare no expense for your wedding.”

“Actually, sire,” Geoffrey began, his voice wavering, “Arthur isn’t engaged to Elena.”

“He’s not?”

“No, my lord. Do you happen to recall the princess’s concerns about sharing a kiss with your son? And how he offered to kiss his servant to prove this wasn’t an assassination attempt?”

“It’s starting to come back to me.”

“And, perhaps you remember how I tried to make a minor suggestion that maybe it wasn’t the best idea for Arthur to do that? Of course, I would never question the prince’s judgement. It’s simply that there were, um, some rather finer points of contract law involved, and his actions had an impact on the progression of the engagement.”

“What are you trying to tell me? Is my son betrothed or not?”

“He is, sire, just not to Elena.”

“Thank the gods for that,” the princess muttered.

“Then who, pray tell, is my son engaged to marry?”

“Merlin, sire.”

Reflecting on the years they’d known one another, Gaius supposed it was only fair that he allow Geoffrey to retire to the seaside with him. Provided, of course, that his old friend survived this day.

“How?”

“The prince had completed the recitation of the oath. But if you remember, sire, the wording stated that he would bind himself to the one he kissed. And then he kissed his servant. Which means that, in accordance with the law…”

“You’re certain Arthur kissed him?”

“Yes, my lord. Quite thoroughly. There were tongues involved.”

“I see,” Uther said before promptly passing out again.

The king’s return to consciousness took longer this time.

“Will he be alright?” Arthur asked, clutching Merlin’s hand as he watched Gaius tend to his father.

“It’s hard to say,” Gaius replied. “He’s had quite a shock. Right now he needs to rest. In private.”

Recognizing Gaius’s order for what it was, the guards cleared the room while the physician tended to his patient. Throughout it all, Arthur held tight to Merlin’s hand.

Finally, the king awoke. Though Gaius tried his best to keep him reclined on the floor, Uther refused, quickly rising to his feet. He eyed the room with confusion.

“What is this place? Have we met? You seem familiar,” he said as he glanced at Gaius.

Pulling Merlin with him, Arthur followed his father as he wandered to the window. Uther looked out at the castle gardens below.

“Is it springtime? Something wonderful once happened to me in the spring. There was a woman… Ygraine. I remember her face. You have her hair,” Uther said as he turned to face Arthur. “And her eyes. Do you know her?”

“I… know of her.”

“It was a spring day when she agreed to marry me – that was the happiest day of my life. I can’t remember what happened after that. I probably did something awful and lost her. I’m not the easiest man to love.”

Arthur swallowed hard and Merlin gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.

“Of course, all young men’s thoughts turn to love in the springtime. Have you found someone to love?”

“I have,” Arthur choked out.

“Good. Be sure to cherish them.”

“I will,” Arthur replied. “And thank you. For being kind to me.”

“I think,” Gaius said as he stepped over to take Uther by the arm, “that my patient needs to rest. Arthur, I know it’s been a long day, but we really must convene the council at once. There are matters of succession to address.”

“You don’t think he’ll recover?”

“I will do everything I can for him but only time will tell. Although, with all due respect, sire, perhaps it would be best for everyone if he didn’t. Camelot could stand to have someone on the throne whose heart isn’t consumed with hatred and bitterness.”

And with that, Gaius led Uther out of the great hall through the servants’ entrance.

Arthur stood in contemplative silence for a moment, then turned to face Merlin.

“I’ve dragged you into a right mess today. For that I apologize.”

“There’s no need.”

“I know I’ve put you through enough, but would you mind staying with me a little longer? This council meeting is going to be…”

“There’s no way you could get rid of me.”

It was the tiniest of smiles and yet with it, Merlin managed to calm Arthur, pushing back the terror that had bene rising within him.

“I do. Cherish you, that is. I haven’t been the best at showing it…”

Merlin kissed Arthur gently.

“I know. And I love you, too. Even if you are a supercilious prat with an ego that’s about to get ten times larger now that you’re becoming king. Don’t worry. I’ll be there to keep you in line. I am your fiancé, after all.”

“You know I would never expect you to…”

“You can’t jilt me – at least not until Elena and her father have left. We can talk about it later. Right now you have to face the council.”

“I don’t know what I’d do without you. I’m not ready for this.”

“You really are. Now come on. You’re going to build a kingdom that will be remembered for ages.”

“I doubt that.”

“That’s because you’re a dollophead. But don’t worry – I’ll be there along the way to help.”

“In that case,” Arthur said, “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. Let’s go face destiny.”


End file.
